Tax deductions

One thing that the American religious, corporate, political, and marketing system have utilized to the hilt is the charitable ethic. In fact I think Americans consider it one of the cornerstones of what it means to be an American, that one takes one's excess money and puts it into causes one believes in, of one's own choosing. This is not all purely altruistic; companies use this as a way to brush up their image, and individuals use it as a way to reduce their tax burden. Plus American charities usually have to put a lot of creative energy into getting funding, even staging silly things like raffles for ugly pieces of artwork. But it all works somehow, adds a sense of excitement, a sense of anticipation, and even a sense of hope. 

Icelanders are less familiar with this ethic, it is less well developed here (witness the "New Vikings" who never even seem to have once thought to take up a charitable cause). And within the political and economic context here, it will certainly never have the exact same form as the U.S. ethic. But I still think we could make some inroads, even without the lure of tax deductions, if we apply some of the American techniques to Vikingaheimar. Could not hurt to try, anyhow.